Mafia's Right-Hand Woman

47.

Martini scurry to lift her baby off the tiled floor and shield his toweled self from any expecting danger as she help herself balance on feet

She was scared but not yet broken. This, was her husband,

Not Enemy. Not someone their child have to be scared off.
He is simply angry at the moment.
This is all temporary.
They will be a happy family of three again.
Papa loves mama.

Her eyes went frantic when her vision finally compassed ivy's weapon targetting Arnoldo.
"No! Don't.."

Arnoldo had been punctured various places, one eye blue black, head leaking a streak of blood, nose broken, cheeks swollen black,

The nonchalant person standing behind the woman with furious lashes outraged vocals,
..eagle eyed loaded with bullets was the one he recognised rightaway
..the one responsible for his limping state.

Seina, understanding a wife's helpless plea to never be served with a view of her own husband's death.

Her empathy grew as she evaluated the situation from Martini's point of view.
The demise of a loved one, his condition didn't appear good to eyes as well.

"Ivy, let's calm down. And gentlemen let's forgive each other and think of a new start."

"Stop blabbering nonsense you Hag!" Ivy and arnoldo grit in unison, conveying their irkness.

"It'll be a huge help if you leave." Ivy whispers irritated.

"Ivy, you're not thinking this with everyone in mind. This will ruin a lot of lives, you don't understand."

Seina's words triggered her, since earlier a doubt to kill or not to kill was clouding ivy's mind delaying her decision to shoot and get done with this, Her stances loosen.

"You're right. What do you think you should do under lack of clear instructions?" her troubled brows bunch together as she asked with the tightness all over her body, a sign of submission. Under absence of directions only someone she knows can guide her. She took seina a close great senior. Someone whose serenity she admired, it was just like what she ate.

Seina bubbled up proud, she took this moment to bring ivy one step closer towards what she considered good. Away from bloodshed and closer to forgiveness and peace. "My girl, always do what your heart says. Go where that thin beam of light directs you, always chose what's best for more than yourself. It sometimes may bother you at the heat of the moment but it'll be the sweetest your memory. Think of your loved ones before taking any major step. It's a long speech ehe but bloodshed is not always necessary."

Everyone in the room had been listening. Arnoldo snorted, "I like your your long speech, not the closing line though. Kudos to you. I'm powered up." He let out a throaty laugh and by then ivy's head has cleared up and she gained her grip back.

An urge to avenge fired him up, he click his tongue. Grit his teeth as focal point zoom in towards his sole target who has her gun pinpoint at the centre of his eyes.

He catch her ever focused eyes dart just once from him to martini adjacent to him to seina right in front of her n a step to the left and then back at him 10 feet far. It was a swift calculation yet he caught onto it.

His rage for war had awakened. Earlier he'd go easy, use her as a bait. But..
He is familiar with the coarse now.

His eyes sparked. He fish out another short range gun from his torn clothing and ever so savage wearing a smirk lift it to it at Martini's forehead, not ever shifting his eyes from ivy's he target seina next.

Everyone's breath caught up. The next move counts on whoever takes the next step.

She shoots, he shoots: everyone dies.
He shoots, She shoots: everyone dies.

Leaving ivy.. alone to bear responsibly for all of Vettorio's loved ones death and the loss of his important captive.

He knew what he was doing. His intention of ending everything was thick.

So was ivy.

It was that 5 sweat trickling intense minutes, all breaths were held..
In anticipation..

Seina constantly picturing a magical exit where everyone negotiate and form bonds for good.

Martini squinting her eyes close envisioning arnoldo's conscience to return and the three leave the place to settle some place faraway.

Ivy...

She screamed,

"DUCK!! DOWN!!"

On Instinct, both the girls bent and lower their heads, right then..

*Bang! bang! bang!

Ivy took the lead and began the rapid fire round.

The shoot-out began.

Seina trip and scoot into the corner, facing the wall, using her prayers and back as a shield.

Arnoldo had wished his bullets to be faster,

Ivy's shots penetrated deep inside his shoulder and wrist that held the gun. Though he didn't loose his pace and shot where his teary blurred eyes figure would ivy be standing.
Her following shots lodged in his knee and thigh. His hold loosen .. his firearm slip n he crumble to the floor.
He screamed in scorching agony.

It was his golden shot he bet everything on but,
she displayed speed akin to leopard's n dodged it approaching him.

She held him in place jerking him by his collar, his eyes forced open in the slightest.
"My people are off limits! I'll Break the other half of you! You dare double cross me." spewed so loud in his face her threat bounced back into everyone's ears nice n clear.

There is a scream of the mouth and lungs, and a scream of the eyes and soul. If the former gets no response, the latter begins.
Everyone within the four walls displayed one of their kind, the married ones, both, from heart.
Completely unfazed stood Ivy amongst all, grieving martini driven to fury who kept begging n cursing unable to make out any sort of expression on the last standing culprit. Not happy, or sad.
A puzzle.

In all honesty, ivy did felt puzzled, this was her successful attempt at not killing, but should she be happy about this? She is changing! or sad for the fact she has caused two people to look at her this way.
Never in her life had she seen people look at her in disgust.

"Give him the First-Aid, Fast! He is not to die.. Until Boss checks up on him.. Keep him Alive!" The squad raided in, cuffed n carried away the madman in the stretcher.

Remaining men Escorted the women n baby back, Checked for injuries.
Cleaners arrived not any instant later.

"Ivy! I think he will need to be admitted. Bleeding is too much and above old wounds we can't hand treat him."

"Whatever, just manage. Call in trusted doctor, and by trusted i mean who won't snitch to and leak his whereabouts to anyone one we don't want to know."

During all of this after clean up everyone fell silent, .

Seina, deeply impacted, watch Ivy leave behind the group without any words of sympathy or explanation. She had turned pale. She couldn't come terms with what had happened right before her eyes.

Seina catch young recruits talking among themselves, she clutched the fabric of her sundress tight. "Worse could've happened. Thank God she handled it all by herself!"

"Yeh, any mistake and boss would've grilled us." And they laughed in agreement.

Once she reach her room she slump down the floor After turning the knob once to confirm it was locked behind her. The thumping of her heart hadn't slowed a bit. it wasn't unexpected. But It was traumatizing. She paused, somewhat unsteadily eyed her study table drawer - the pills!
Weak in the knees, She crawls to get 'em and after gulping two at once she calmed herself taking long breaths, yet trembling.
She understood one thing, in this house only she could comfort Martini, even by little means, even if she demands an escape.
'I am the only help she can get.'

Meanwhile Ivy got down to make a report to Vittorio as directed.